Hundreds of southern right whale calves found dead on Argentina's Patagonian coast

In the waters off Puerto Madryn and the Valdés Peninsula, hundreds of southern right whale calves have been found dead, prompting concern among marine experts. Mariano Coscarella of the Argentine research institute Conicet identified a bacterial skin disease, erysipelas, as the likely trigger for the spike in calf deaths, noting its potential to cause painful lesions, fever and a high mortality rate among young whales.

Veterinary examinations confirmed the infection as the primary factor. The regional government of Chubut has announced close collaboration with scientists to investigate the outbreak, which appears linked to a widespread marine bacterium. Whale surveys recorded 2,110 individuals, including 800 calves, in the previous season, while recent observations show 1,375 whales with roughly 400 calves. Despite the losses, the overall population is not considered at immediate risk due to the species' long lifespan of about 60 years.